Demo(i)
by iwritebadbutdealwithit98
Summary: Alya can't stand to see her friends be so stupid, they clearly like each other. She has her ways of making them just.. kiss already!


"You guys seem excited," Adrien walked up to Alya as her group of friends left for lunch break.

She smiled. "Yeah, we're having a sleepover at Marinette's! We're probably going to play games and watch movies all night."

"Sounds fun!"

Alya tilted her head, "Have you ever been to a sleepover?"

Adrien raised an eyebrow. "Are you kidding? Unless you count Chloe, no."

She waved her hands, "Definitely wouldn't count Chloe. But then you should come too! You're seriously missing out."

He cringed. "I doubt my father would appreciate me going to a girls' sleepover." Or any sleepover for that matter.

"You wouldn't stay the night, Silly, just to hang out and play games. We're going over super early, like at 16:30. Come _on,_ aren't you curious what it's like?"

Adrien suppressed a smile. "I guess maybe a little… Is Nino going to be there?"  
"No, just me and the girls, why?"

"Then why _me?_" Adrien squinted, "I'm not a particularly close friend of Marinette… I don't think she'd appreciate you inviting me without her knowing." He blinked down at his shoes.

"What?!" Alya nudged his shoulder, "don't tell me you see my girl as less-than-a-friend?"

"Of course not! She just seems different around you than she is around me."

Alya deadpanned. "Everyone is like that with their friends. She'd be happy to have you over."

"Then we should just ask her firs—"

"No! It's a surprise. See, she's just really bad at inviting people, she gets nervous… you know…"

Adrien blushed. "_I'd _be a surprise to her?" And from then it was clear he had stopped listening to Alya because his eyes drifted away from her. His lips parted slightly and his head tilted backward. That unmistakable expression, the kind that lets your eyes fall on something you didn't know you were looking at.

"Why are you staring longingly at the boys' bathroom?"

"Huh?" He turned back to Alya suddenly, "Oh… I-I have no idea, actually."

Alya nodded and smiled. She couldn't just let this slide, not when Adrien had been caught staring blankly into the distance and completely tuning her out. It was obvious. "Good, so you're going then. Just text me when you're on your way."

"Wha—?"

She only looked back at him. Although she still wore a smile, there was clearly a challenge in her eyes. It seemed it wasn't up for debate, not that Adrien could say he had a problem with that.

* * *

Alya had Marinette exactly where she wanted her. Marinette suspected nothing, happily playing party games with the gang. Alya had informed Alix, Juleka, Rose, and Mylene ahead of time of course— all of whom were excited… well, except Alix. She felt they were all crazy, but was curious of how this would all turn out.

"So," Alix sighed, "how's Adrien?"

Rose softened her furrowed eyebrows, looking away from her hand of cards. "Yes! Tell us about Adrien!"

Marinette blinked awkwardly as all eyes fell on her, "O-oh, _Adrien_, huh?"

"That's right, girl, we're all dying to see you two get together already!" Alya clenched her fist with determination.

"Yeah, well how do you think _I _feel?!" Marinette laughed, "I'm the one dying here!"

Mylene smiled sympathetically, "Well, just—"

"Kiss him!" Rose blurted. The other four girls stiffened.

Marinette shook her head, "Easier said than done, my chances at a free kiss pretty much left when we were filming Horrificator."

"I dunno, he seemed pretty into it." Alya hummed.

The girls agreed enthusiastically.

"Man," Alix chuckled, "he was so pissed when Chloe interrupted… I even took a picture, it was so funny."

"Really?" Marinette blinked, her eyes as wide as an owl's.

"Really. I don't think you give yourself enough credit, girl," Alya smirked.

Marinette blushed at the thought of Adrien wanting her just as much as she wanted him. The thought of using her actions rather than her words, risking everything to see whether he stepped backward or forward. If he possibly closed the distance between them and accepted her lingering kiss, they would become a couple. Next February, instead of shoving another confessional love-letter into his mailbox, they would go on a romantic date! But that was too good to be true…

"But there's no way I'm ready for that," Marinette mumbled.

Her friends eyed each other, ready to drop their scheme. They had agreed to intentionally hint before they went through with it as a way to make sure they wouldn't be hurting Marinette.

"You don't want to kiss Adrien?"

"Alya!" Marinette giggled, hitting her arm, "of course I do! He can kiss me whenever he wants~"

"Ugghh," Alix rolled her eyes, "here we go."

"_Ahem_, but.." Marinette scratched her cheek, "I don't really have much practice in that department… eheeh."

"Maybe you're a natural," Alya winked, "you don't know until you try."

"How am I supposed to _try? _I can't just walk up to him and go, 'hey, wanna kiss me?'"

"Hahaha, I dare you to do that," Alix grinned.

"Mmmm, truth or dare?" Rose suggested.

"When would I get the chance to play truth or dare?— especially away from Chloe. I'd have had to have invited him to this sleepover or something… wow, imagine if I had~" Marinette batted her eyes.

"Well then," Alya smirked. "I dare you to text him a _Truth or Dare!_"

"Now?!" Marinette considered her phone.

"Yes!" Her friends all shouted in unison.

"But it would be out of nowhere!" Still, Marinette unlocked her phone.

"Impulsivity, Marinette!" Alya cheered.

"Ahh! Ok, here goes nothing!"

**Marinette:** Hey, Adrien! Truth or Dare? - 18:30

Alya tapped away at her phone as the others celebrated. She sighed with relief as a reply came in for Marinette soon after Alya had sent hers.

**Adrien:** Uhh.. Dare! - 18:31

Marinette squawked. "Is this really happening?!"

"Keep going!" Alya squawked back.

**Marinette is typing…**

"AAHH THIS IS HARD!"

"You can do it!"

"Ok, ok.. 'I dare you to'… Alya help me!"

"Oh no you don't girl, this is on you!"

Marinette furrowed her eyebrows. Of course she could do this! It was only a text message after all, it should be easy! She's given up too many times, she had to just go for it! Send!

**Marinette: **I dare you to kiss me. 18:54

"Oh my gosh!" Marinette cradled her phone as she waited for Adrien's dotted lines to become a message.

Again, her friends cheered.

**Adrien: **Like… now, or anytime? 18:55

Marinette let out a string of nonsensical syllables. Her friends could only gather around her to read the incoming messages and her responses.

"Add a winky face!" Rose shouted before Marinette hit send.

**Marinette: **Anytime ;) 18:56

**Adrien is typing…**

"Ohh that was quick… is that a bad thing guys? That was risky…"

"This is going great so far if you ask me!" Alya beamed.

**Adrien: **Marinette, I just want you to know that I don't back down from a game so easily. So, _you're on_. 18:56

"What a little shit," Alya muttered. She knew exactly what he was doing.

Meanwhile, Marinette was doing her best not to lose consciousness, only snapping out of it when another message arrived.

**Adrien: **Your turn. Truth or Dare? 18:57

"Ohhh!" Rose sang.

"Why do you guys text like you're writing an essay? Nerds…" Alix huffed.

Alya's phone buzzed. "Say 'truth'!"

**Marinette: **Truth 18:57

**Adrien: **Do you really want me to kiss you, or is this just as a joke? 18:58

**Marinette: **I really want you to kiss me 18:59

"Go Marinette!" Alya grabbed Marinette's shoulders.

"I've gotten this far, and it's only getting easier!"

Alya got another message from Adrien, he was on his way and it was time to move into phase two. She looked over to Alix for help, pointing at her wrist as though there was a watch there.

"Uhh," Alix rolled her eyes, "great. So are we going to play more party games, or what?"

"Games?" Marinette looked up from her phone, a lopsided grin on her face.

"Yeah! Hmm," Alya snapped her fingers, "Have you heard of the kissing game Sleeping Beauty?"

"You know, it does ring a bell!" Mylene held her chin between her index and thumb.

"It sounds fun!" Rose clasped her hands together.

Marinette looked at them oddly.

Alya caught that they were becoming suspicious. "Er- You sit with a sleeping mask on, and a random person in the room kisses you and you have to guess who it is!"

"Ok. I'll watch." Alix walked over to the chaise and plopped down.

Marinette raised an eyebrow, "On the lips? None of you are single…"

"Uh, hello?" Alix called.

"Oops, sorry. None of you are single and mad about it."

"Fair."

Rose waved her hand, "oh what's a harmless little kiss? I don't mind."

"As long as it's just a peck… I guess…" Juleka drawled.

"Well," Mylene raised her hand, "how about when everyone's turn comes up they choose if they want a kiss on the cheek or on the lips."

"Sure," Alya thought for a moment, "maybe guessing right with one kiss can be full 2 points, and if you want a lifeline for half the points, a second kiss whichever option you didn't choose. Would that work?"

Mylene furrowed her eyebrows. "I mean, yes but, why— ohhH! Yes, yes of course!"

Alya smiled through her wince, hoping Marinette didn't see through Mylene's terrible acting. "So… who wants to go first?"

"Ooh, me!" Rose jumped to her feet.

"Here, we can all use my sleep mask." Juleka offered her dark blue sleeping mask to Rose.

Once Rose was seated with the mask fully over her eyes, everyone giggled awkwardly until surprisingly, Marinette stepped up. Rose went with a kiss on the cheek.

"Umm.. Mylene?"

"Try again!" Alix shouted. "Do you want your lifeli—"

"Well then it's Marinette!"

Marinette blinked. "How did you know?"

Rose removed the sleep mask. "Because I knew it wasn't my Juleka~"

Juleka giggled as Rose looked over at her.

"And it felt too shy to be Alya!" Rose continued.

Once Alya got the text that Adrien had arrived, she quickly slipped out of the room while everyone continued to talk about how easy this game was going to be. She met Adrien at the bottom of the stairs.

"I'm glad you managed to get out after all," Alya kept her voice low.

"Turns out my father becomes a different person when I bring up Marinette's name. I think he trusts her more than he trusts me…" Adrien chuckled softly.

Alya frowned. "God, that sucks. But I noticed you rushed over as soon as Marinette asked for a kiss?"

"About that, how exactly do you plan for this to seem natural and unplanned?"

"It doesn't have to seem unplanned. We're playing Sleeping Beauty, and since Marinette is next, you can stay right outside the door and I'll let you in once she's blindfolded."

"What… do blindfolds have to do with Sleeping Beauty?" Adrien had the game himself— the point-and-click interactive storybook— and frankly, he couldn't see any point in playing an early 2000s computer game with blindfolds.

"It's a kissing game where you guess who's kissing you. She's probably going to choose a kiss on the cheek but there's no way she'll guess you right, so she'll ask for a kiss on the lips too, Prince Charming~"

Adrien tugged on his collar as his face became warmer. "P-Prince Phillip. Prince Charming is from Cinderella."

Alya stared at him. She pointed up the stairs, "Look, do you wanna kiss the girl or not?"

"So, now I'm Prince Eric?"

"Just get up there."

* * *

Alya slipped through the trapdoor while Adrien waited just beneath it. "Ok, I'm back now, sorry. Marinette is next, right?"

Marinette nodded her head and pulled the sleep mask over her eyes. "I'm ready."

Everyone held their breath as Alya quietly lifted the door to let Adrien sneak in. He walked up to Marinette and knelt in front of her, jumping when she suddenly spoke.

"On the cheek is fine for now," she smiled.

Adrien swallowed loudly, his heart pounding in his ears. He leaned forward. With every inch nearer to Marinette's face, the air became warmer. Her soft breaths could be heard as he tilted his face toward her left cheek. How many seconds should he wait? Adrien decided to study her face first, he wanted to fully appreciate the plush skin he would dare to imprint. He could count her freckles, he could smell her hair, he could watch her nose wrinkle as she turned her head slightly.

"Has anyone even been chosen yet?" Marinette spoke into the void. She had no idea what was going on, the room was dead silent.

Adrien got the hint, pushing himself forward and leaving a feathery kiss. Feathery in that it was soft enough to tickle yet firm enough to keep her warm.

Marinette gasped.

Everyone stared.

"Can…" Marinette spoke against Adrien's neck, as he sat frozen in nervous anticipation, "can I get my lifeline?" Her face was open and yearning. Something struck her in that brief moment.

Adrien leaned back, suddenly unsure of who he was and how he got here. The only thing he knew at the moment was his duty to not let her parted lips stay empty for long. So he met her. For a second. Then she jumped a little, "wait…"

Yet she was the one who didn't wait. She leaned forward to find him, and pressed her lips a little harder, hard enough that their separation was like being jolted awake.

"What's he doing here?" She sounded amazed.

Alya clasped her hand over her mouth, intrigued by her ability to pick him apart from her friends. They all giggled as Marinette smiled and whirled her head around to look at her friends, though she couldn't see them.

"Chat Noir?!"

Adrien froze. He felt everyone staring at him, or at least he knew they should be. It was especially obvious since Alix hadn't jumped in to say she was wrong.

She broke the silence, but not in any way that helped. "What?"

"That's Chat Noir! Who else could it be?" She laughed, "you sneaky kitty."

He clenched his jaw. Speaking up would probably only making it worse, but silence wasn't any better.

Alix snorted. "No dude, not even close."

Adrien relaxed, but only slightly. He could tell Marinette was still not convinced.

"Then who is it?!"

Juleka reached for the sleep mask and pulled it off.

At first, Marinette blinked rapidly as light rushed into her eyes. Then she noticed all of her friends frowning at her. Finally, she looked directly in front of her. "Adrien?!"

His face seemed to transform before her eyes. None of his features had changed, but he looked entirely different. It was looking at an optical illusion. Little things about him she'd always seen but somehow ignored. His large, green eyes were unmistakable.

He strained a smile. "Hi…" And his awkward grin was the same.

"Uh… Marinette," Alya raised an eyebrow. "Have you… kissed Chat Noir?"

Everyone— including Adrien —turned to Marinette, curious for an answer.

Marinette couldn't find the right words to say. On one hand, saying yes would mean she had to have been right about her guess. This was something she wasn't supposed to know, let alone her friends. And then he would probably find out who she was, because there's only one girl who has kissed Chat Noir— Ladybug. In order to say no, she had to figure out a last-minute excuse as to why she would say his name so suddenly. But she didn't want an excuse, she wanted the truth. More than telling Alya, she wanted things to be clear with Adrien.

"I… I love Adrien, and nothing could ever change that," Marinette started, physically fighting her eyes to keep from looking away. It was odd talking about him in the third person instead of directly to him, but she hoped it would make it obvious that she knew his secret. She watched his eyes widen and cheeks redden. "And I knew that you knew that. So, I decided not to tell you that I also loved someone else…"

"Chat Noir?" Alya offered.

Marinette nodded.

"When?"

"A while ago. But he told me he loved Ladybug, so I decided to move on. But I guess… I said his name, because I haven't quite gotten over him yet." Marinette shrugged at Adrien, as if to say 'and look where that got me'. She wanted to reassure him that she understood the issue and was okay with what it meant. She knew his mind must have been racing with confusion and guilt. Marinette's confession to Adrien after being rejected by Chat Noir meant he had to reject her twice. Did he come all this way to let her down as gently as possible?

Maybe she would never know, because everyone had decided to change the subject. It had been an enormous shock to find out that Marinette had been head-over-heels for Chat Noir at one point, but the girls understood why she wouldn't want to share that with them. And to them it would only be more awkward for Adrien to hear, who absolutely was _not _Chat Noir and might get jealous. Marinette knew he obviously wasn't going to get jealous. She was preparing for the worst— another rejection. Although, he _had _kissed her. Sure, it was a dare, but that still didn't explain why his texts read as flirtatious. Maybe she was being too pessimistic. Maybe things had changed.

Either way, upon realizing the two people she loved were one person, she knew her feelings were either doomed or blessed, no middle ground. The middle ground probably would involve his relationship with Ladybug, and Marinette knew she didn't want dating in her hero life. It was dangerous and there wouldn't be anywhere to meet privately. Attempts at disguises would be overwhelming and risky toward the identity she wasn't ready to share.

It all depended on what he was thinking at the moment. They had stopped playing the game to watch a movie, which made it obvious that the whole thing had been set up just for Marinette. Adrien had been quiet ever since, and he was impossible to read. For all she knew, he might have even been thinking about the romantic side of things. After all, she had been so confident that he was Chat Noir, her friends just might believe she was right. Maybe he was just worried about his secret identity. Marinette was pretty wary about it too, Alix and Alya threw a few looks his way every now and then.

Or he was really invested in _Tangled_, the movie they were watching. Marinette felt silly, she forced herself to relax and enjoy the movie like everyone else.

Eugene.

What?

My real name is... Eugene Fitzherbert.

I have magic hair that glows when I sing.

What?

Yeah, that wasn't helping either. Marinette looked over and saw Adrien squirming. She needed to talk to him. She wanted to know what was worrying him the most.

Hey. For the record, I like Eugene Fitzherbert much better than Flynn Ryder.

Well, then you'd be the first. But, thank you.

Adrien smiled. Maybe he was just as confused as she was. What had started a playful little game had turned in unexpected ways and then swept under the rug. Marinette doubted it would never be brought up again, so this was her chance to think things over. All of this craziness had kept her from dwelling on the best part of the night— she and Adrien had shared their first kiss.

**Alya: **you two look so uncomfortable. im sorry mari it really wasn't meant to turn into this 20:10

Marinette knew no one could have predicted this. It wouldn't have happened had they been ordinary students. She smiled at Alya. As heavily as this would impact her relationship with Adrien, Marinette didn't regret it at all. She was worried at first for many reasons— she'd discovered Chat Noir's secret identity, the fact that he seemed so quiet, not knowing what his feelings were…

Watching him now, she refused to assume the worst. It was too soon to give up. Especially now that she knew things that made him a whole new person to love.

_All those days watching from the windows_

_All those years outside looking in_

_All that time never even knowing_

_Just how blind I've been_

Adrien caught Marinette staring and smiled. He reached out to hold her hand.

_Now I'm here blinking in the starlight_

_Now I'm here suddenly I see_

_Standing here it's all so clear_

_I'm where I'm meant to be_

Adrien leaned closer to Marinette and whispered, "We didn't really get the chance to be alone after… all of that."

"Yeah," Marinette laughed, "I guess that would have been important."

"Then again, I wasn't really sure what to say to you."

Marinette lifted their clasped hands, "Well, you're holding my hand. I think I got the message," she smiled.

I have something for you too. I should have given it to you, but I was just scared. And the thing is, I'm not scared anymore. You know what I mean?

I'm starting to.

Adrien chuckled. "You're right. I guess my heart knew more than my brain did. Is that too cheesy?"

"You've always been like that. What do you think made me fall for you?"

_And at last I see the light_

_And it's like the fog has lifted_

_And at last I see the light_

_And it's like the sky is new_

_And it's warm and real and bright_

_And the world has somehow shifted_

_All at once everything is different_

_Now that I see you_

"You know," Marinette leaned back, "I think it would be a lot better now that I can see you."

"What would be better?"

_Now that I see you_

Marinette reached for his cheek and pulled him closer. "This."


End file.
